Caroline Lamb Loses Her Mind

When celebrated poet and legendary horndog, Lord Byron, set his sights on the married Lady Caroline in 1812, he had no idea that he was going to start the ball rolling on a Fatal Attraction style romance. Lady Caroline was actually a very level headed woman, even spurning his advances the first time they met. In public, she kept up that appearance of the dogged lady but in secret, they were canoodling. It eventually became the Regency’s worst kept secret, even more so when Byron (in his usual fashion) tired of his paramour and dumped her. He probably thought she would let it go like all of the other ladies he had courted, not wanting scandal.

That wasn’t Lady Caroline’s style. She wrote to Byron’s publisher, pretending to be Byron, in order to get a painting of the poet. She pretended to be a pageboy to get into his house. She left notes in his books and threw fits. She wrote an entire novel focused on harming Byron’s public image. The high social circles were horrified and shunned her, only to take her back after pleadings from her sister-in-law and Caroline’s husband, the Hon. William Lamb, the nicest cuckold in history until you find out he was also having affairs on the sly.

The climax came when Byron upset Lady Caroline at a party and she broke a glass and pretended to cut herself in order to get his attention. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARTY. She began to drink heavily and partake in drugs and died at the age of 48.

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Nicolina Torres

Nikki worked for Barnes & Noble for 15 years, in seven stores. She is the author of This Red Fire, Young Nation, and Girls Who Wear Glasses. She prefers to live in the country and is a new aunt to a potential bookworm.